I’m involved in a few “mommy groups”, but have one that tops the others. The women in this group are truly amazing.  They are so caring and just plain fun.  There are many activities for all ages.

Once a year they do a “Secret Sister” exchange (like Secret Santa).  It runs for five weeks. You send your SS weekly emails, e-cards or whatever and buy something for your SS once a week as well (you can mail it to them, sneak it on to their front porch, have someone else give it to them, etc…). On the 5th week, there will be a big party where we’ll have our “Secret Sister Reveal”.  This is where you present your SS with their last and final gift and in return, they give you a thank you gift for all you’ve done for them (so you get 6 gifts in all!).  It’s so much fun!

A couple of weeks ago, there was a sign up for the SS.  Then everyone filled out a questionnaire to help your SS come up with creative ideas to get you.  The questionnaire in and of itself was fun for me to fill out.

This week was the first of the five weeks.  I have yet to get my SS something, but have all week to deliver it (hoping not to wait until the last minute).

Today, my SS surprised me in a fun way.  Jason left for work this morning, then called right away to say there was a box on the front porch.  I immediately grabbed the key to the front door to check outside and this is what I saw…

How cool is that?  What a fun thing to open your door to (such a surprise)!  I loved the sign and that the box was placed front and center. I only wish Brody had been up to open the front door with me.  He would have probably said, “Woah”.

My SS must know me well (or follows my questionnaire well).  I am in love with office supplies of all kinds.  My heart skips a beat when I even think about Post-It notes.  LOL!  My SS was so creative with what she chose. She made sure to get all pens and pencils in fine point, she got me some great office storage things too (already imaging where these are going to go as I left it all downstairs on the island for Jason to see when he gets home).  She even included stickers (something Brody LOVES), play-doh (which he’s just starting to get into as of last week), some fun things to make crafts with, and a DVD of Laurie Berkner (Brody’s favorite right now).  There are gorgeous (very expensive looking) notecards, tons of craft supplies and the list goes on.  She went overboard and it’s only week 1.

Brody LOVED the big box that it came in.  He put his toys inside and carried it around for a while, then got inside the box and had fun with it (dancing, turning around and jumping).  He then found the container of pens and played with that forever!  Next he combined his two loves (container of pens and toys in the box and carried it around).  LOL! Hours of entertainment (it’s a gift within a gift).

My SS went all out this first week.  There’s no way to top this (she set the bar VERY high).  Thanks Secret Sister!

I just got an email yesterday from Paper Coterie.  They are having an Open House on Wednesday, May 4th and offering $40 off of your purchase (shipping is not included).  If anyone wants to check it out, here’s the invitation with the code.  Go have some fun creating something for you or someone else and enjoy $40.

About a month ago, I was reading one of my favorite blogs (I Am Momma, Hear Me Roar) and came across a giveaway.  The first 25 people who left a comment would be sent a promotional code to use toward any one item (including free shipping) on a photo printing site called Paper Coterie.  Of course, I went down to the comments section, counted to see how many people had left comments (tee hee), and posted my comment.  The only catch was that I had to review this website (as they were about to launch their grand opening and were looking for any feedback they could find to better themselves).

Within a week, I was emailed my promotional code, headed to their site and got to work.  My first impression was a very good one.  The colors are very pleasing to the eyes, the layout is modern, it’s inviting and off the beat, gets you excited to surf around and see what they have to offer, and the navigation is so simple.

Their sample of photo books shows you all of the pages and they load up so quickly so you can flip through them fast to see if you like it.  They offer so many options in so many sizes.  They have the perfect balance of things to offer for any gender or occasion.  The loading of photos was very fast and easy to do. The editing and typing for the photo book pages was simpler than any other photo book I’ve ever created.  They even had more features to use that I hadn’t seen before.

I placed my order on March 27th and my item arrived on April 1st.  Talk about fast shipping!  The box was white and had a whimsy and fun label on the front, addressed to me.  It felt like a wrapped gift already.  And the packaging itself was over the top.  Looked VERY expensive!  I could just give my photo book as a gift like that and not have to wrap it at all.

I’ve ordered several photo books before, but the quality of this photo book was impressive!  My only complaint about the quality of the book is that the photo I used for the front page was not glossy, but matte, which made it look very dull.  Any other photo book I’ve received has always been glossy and stands out.  It’s not to say that I don’t like it this way, just something I noticed.

And are you kidding me with the necklace. Yes, they gave me a cute necklace too.  It’s beautiful, fun and would look great with a pair of jeans or a dress (not that I own one)!  What a wonderful gift to all of their new members.

And, to top it all off, a week later, they sent me a thank you note in the mail for sending them my review (it’s that special touch, that great customer service that’s going to keep me going back again and again). Over the top!  Everything from start to finish is classy with this company.  They are quickly becoming my favorite photo creation site.

Every day, I write myself a note, telling me what I have going on the next day.  I put this note in the bathroom on the counter.  I’m not sure why I do this.  Maybe I think if I write it down, it will be fresh in my mind so I don’t forget.  It’s also a reminder to read right before I go to bed (as I’m brushing my teeth) and first thing in the morning.  The bonus to doing this, is that Jason can also read what I have going on in my day (nosy husband).  LOL!  I will say that it’s a great reminder for him to ask how our day went when he gets home from work.

If you know anything about my husband, he is amazing when it comes to grammar.  He is a genius and even knows the reason why things should be said the way they’re suppose to be said.  Me, on the other hand…I’m a lost cause.

This morning, I was reading my note (reminding myself where we were heading and what time we needed to be there).  I noticed that someone (and it wasn’t me) had crossed out “bring” and wrote “take” above it (see photo below).  Yep, that was my grammar loving husband.  *sigh*

I get “bring” and “take” wrong all of the time.  I’ve heard Jason tell me the “rule” so many times and I’m still clueless.  Let me quickly Google it so we all know the rule (in case you’re questioning it too).

Bring/Take Rule:
The very common verbs “bring” and “take” are sometimes troublesome. One reason this happens is because “bring” and “take” have almost identical meanings but are used for different “directions” in English.  “Bring” shows movement toward the speaker, but “take” shows movement away from the speaker.

Side Note:
And for anyone who thinks I’m wasting paper, I purchased a container of cheap paper (350 sheets to be exact) for just $1 (the photo makes it look huge, but it’s only 2″x3″).

There are two projects that I’m excited to do and of course have not set aside any time to do them, so who knows when I’ll get to them, but they’re on my list.

1. Polaroid Magnets – How cute are these!  I was thinking of using photos of Brody’s friends, my nieces and nephews, Brody, etc… And, what a great gift this would be for someone (personal, fun, cute, functional).
2. Business Card Holder – Love these!  While I have no business cards to tote around with me, I do have my store saver cards that would work perfectly in one of these holders.  Heck, around Christmas time, I get so many gift cards, this would be a great place to house them until they’re used.  Just a couple of thoughts.  Also a fun gift to make someone that is fun and functional.

So, there you have it.  A small list of craft “to-do’s” that I’d like to get to in the next month.  And to keep track of my list of to-do’s, I signed up for a TODOIST account.  It’s free and easy to use.  I have all of my to-do’s in one place (things I want to blog about, list of crafts to make, things I need to get caught up on, etc…).  It’s so nice to have it all in one place.

This morning, Jason, Brody and I were in the car running some errands. I said something to Jason and ended my sentence with, “laugh out loud”. Jason paused and processed what I said then pointed out what I said. I had no clue I even said that.  Seriously? You know you’ve been texting too much if you’re saying it out loud. At least I didn’t say the letters “L..O..L”.

Speaking of texting humor, my friend Tina, over at Faith, Fitness, Fun had a funny post the other day about her texting woes, concerning the stupid spell corrector (I hate these things…helpful on some words…not so much on others).

Here’s the picture of her phone.  Read the texting for a good laugh.

My friend, Danielle, requested a photo of Brody on his quilt (to get an idea of the size of the quilt). Great idea! The only problem is that with a toddler, it’s hard to get them to sit still. I tried to put snacks on the quilt and he got interested in a book, so I took some quick snapshots and here’s the best of the worse. LOL!

Key word is “looked” (past present). LOL! I guess it could be titled, “What I Looked For In A Husband”, because that’s truly what it was all about. I remember hearing a sermon message one Wednesday night while in High School. The Pastor said that there was no reason to waste your time dating someone unless you could see yourself marrying him. That’s when I made this list. If I couldn’t find a boy that measured up to this list, it wasn’t worth my time to even be dating him.

I wrote this list back on October 21, 1992 (that’s almost 19 years ago). Holy cow, I’m old! LOL! I just came across this list this weekend and wanted to share it with you all. Thought it was a fun read and realized, I found that perfect boyfriend who I now call my husband (insert “Ahhhhh’s” here).

Today has been a great day!  My son has been sick lately and hasn’t eaten in days and today, he’s starting to eat something.  I can’t begin to tell you the relief it gives me.  Phew! The weather is nice outside (and only going to get nicer as the days go on).

The day started out with Brody and I meeting our friends at the brand new Whole Foods in Raleigh.  They were giving out coupons, free samples, and freebies for the kids and adults.  The store was packed!  I loved every minute of it (although would prefer to get around easier without the crowds).  Their customer service is just amazing!  I didn’t get much, but did take advantage of a few freebies and coupons for this visit.  I even left with a free recyclable bag (love those things).

This afternoon, we went to Gap.  I had a coupon for $50 worth of merchandise for $25, plus I had a gift card to use.  I was also handed a coupon (while there) for 45% off of one regular priced item.  Score!  I left with items I actually needed too (all for either Jason or Brody).  As the cashier rang me up, she said I had $4 left on my gift card and she would just give it back to me in cash, then proceeded to tell me to get a cup of coffee.  And you know what I did….I did just that.   Starbucks, here I come.

Then as nap time rolled around, Brody was tired, so I put him down.  Then an hour later, he’s still chattering away in his crib.  *sigh*  That little stinker.  I decide to go in there to make sure he didn’t soil his diaper and there were no other distractions for him (like a cat sleeping in his changing table or something…happens quite often).  Upon entering the room, there are no distractions and he’s sitting in his crib.  I pick him up and he puts his head on my shoulder (I love this).  I decide to sit down in the rocking chair with him and he falls asleep on me instantly.  When does something like that ever happen?  I was in heaven, so sat and enjoyed it for a while before putting him back in his crib.

Today has been a day of smiles for me.  Pure relaxation.  And I just wanted to share it with someone.

A fun little game I’ve seen going around on some blogs. Thought I’d join in.

(A) Age: 35

(B) Bed Size: King

(C) Chore You Hate: I have to pick just one? Probably cleaning off counters (bathrooms/kitchen)

(D) Dogs? Nope, but I have one cat (Oscar, 13 years)

(E) Essential Start Your Day Item: Coffee!!!

(F) Favorite Color: Green (close seconds are orange and brown)

(G) Gold or Silver? Silver

(H) Height: 5’4″

(I) Instruments You Play: Currently none, but I use to play the flute for a couple of years when I was MUCH younger

(J) Job Title: Stay-At-Home-Mom

(K) Kids: 1 boy (16-months)

(L) Live: Raleigh, NC

(M) Mom’s Name: Rita, Mom, Grandma

(N) Nicknames: Growing up was Naj and Moki. Now? Mamamama (my son is still learning)

(O) Overnight Hospital Stays? In high school for high white blood cell count and when giving birth to my son.

(P) Pet Peeve: Things not in their spot (done by my husband who thinks it’s funny for this OCD Momma). AGH!

(Q) Quote from a Movie: “I don’t care what you smell…get in there.” -Star Wars, Episode IV

(R) Right or Left Handed? Right

(S) Siblings: 1 older sister

(T) Time You Wake Up? Varies. Ideally, 7am, lately 8:30am.

(U) Underwear: Um, yep.

(V) Vegetable You Dislike: Mushrooms!

(W) What Makes You Run Late: Getting Brody fed and ready to head out the door and the hubby. I’m the first one ready to go most of the time.

(X) X-Rays You’ve Had Done: knee, shoulder, back/hip, foot (toe)

(Y) Yummy Food You Make: I love cooking in the kitchen, but just haven’t taken time to do so in a major way unless it’s a holiday. LOL! I need to grab some recipes and get back to it. Right now, I enjoy making Mock Buffalo Chicken Pizzas.

(Z) Zoo, Favorite Animal: Tigers